Frame-wiring device



I March 11 1924. 1,486,809

' L. E.'STARR FRAME wmme nnvxp's Filed March 29. 1922 $9 flv ATTMMEWE Patented er. ll, i924.

LOUIS E. STARR, OF SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA.

FRAME-WIRING nnvron.

Application filed March 29, 1922. Serial No. 547,910.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, Louis E. STARR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Santa Paula, county of Ventura,and State-of California, have invented a new and useful Frame-Wiring Device, of which the follow'ing is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in devices for facilitating the wiring of frames such as are used'principally in connection with the bee industry. Framesof the characterdescribed are used for bee hives and areordinarily provided with a plurality of wire strings stretched across the same for the support of a wax foundation. The present invention is principally concerned with the providing of a device for holding this frame in a proper position for applying the wire, which should be stretched tightly, and this in a device which is portable so that it may be placed upon a table for manipulation and will then present a slanted working surface to promote ease of operation. To effect a tight stretching of the wire I provide the simple expedient of temporarily bending two opposing members together while the Wire is secured in its place so that at the end of the operation the two end members spring apart thereby tightening the wire.

With this object in view I have shown the preferred form of my invention in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a top plan view of my device; Fi ure 2 a longitudinal cross section throng the same along line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 a vertical cross section through the same along line 3--3 of Figure 1. While I have shown only one form of the invention it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claim hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The frame (1) on which the wire is to be stretched comprises two longitudinal members (2) and (3), and two end members (4) and (6). The wire (7) is to be stretched between the two end members. For this purpose I provide a base (9) slantingly supported on a plurality-of cleats (8) having two guide members (11) and (12) thereon for guiding the longitudinal frame members (2) and (3). The end members of the frame, which latter is shown for the purpose of this illustration as bemg of the self-spacing type, are adapted to be placed-on the rests (13) which are provided at their lower ends with recesses (14) adapted to receive the spacing projections (16) of the end members. end of the frame are provided two stops (17) and (18) alined with the longitudinal At one frame members (2) and (3). The stop (17) is a mere block secured to the base, while the stop (18) is an integral part of the guide (12) and stands back of the stop (17 a short distance to allow for a projection (19) at the end of the lower longi tudinal member (3). The different guides and blocks thus far described are arranged in such a manner that if the frame (1) is in contact with all of them it preserves its natural rectangular shape.

But it is desired to spring the two end members toward each other while the wire is stretched across the frame, and this is brought about in the following manner: A block (21) is provided preferably midways between the two stops (17 and (18) so that its front face (22) projects slightly beyond the two, stops (17) and (18) and engages a central portion of the end member (4) of the frame before the stops (17 and (18) engage the extremities of the said member. At the opposite end of the frame there is pivotally mounted on the base a lever (23), one end of which (24) is rounded off so as to present a wedging surface adapted to engage the end member (6) of the frame and to press the same toward the other end member. The other arm (26) of the lever is of suflicient length to allow of convenient manipulation by hand. A stop- (27) limits the motion of the lever and thereby its wedging action.

The operation of the device is as follows: The base is placed upon a table to make its operation convenient for a seated operator. The frame is placed on the base between the two guides (11) and (12) and pushed to the left until its end member (4) engages the block (21). The lever (23) is then turned on its pivot so that its end (24) forces a central portion of the end member (6) toward the end member (4) into the position shown in full lines, somewhat exaggerated in Figure 1. Through this wedging action both end members are bent and the extremities of the end member (4) are brought in contact with their respective stops (17 and (18) so that the whole frame is firmly held between the guides (11) and (12), the block (21) and the lever (23), while the stops (17) and (18) prevent the longitudinal members (2) and (3) from changing their position relative to each other. One end of the wire (7) is now tacked to one corner of the frame as shown at (28) and the other end is guided through perforations (29) in the end members of the frame back and fortln stretched as tightly as can conveniently be done by hand and secured at the corner (31) b means of the tack (32). The lever (23 may now be turned again when the two end members will spring to their original po sition thereby stretching the wire still further. A latch (33') on the block (11) holds the frame to the block during this operation.

The foundation wax may now be applied in the usual manner, one end of the wax sheet being secured between the 101igitudinal member (3), which is provided with a longitudinal recess (34) and a longitudinal strip (36) fitting into said recess and adapted to be secured thereto by means of nails (37). The remainder of the wax sheet is placed against the wires which latter are heated so as to firmly engage the wax.

I claim:

A device for wiring honey frames comprising a base plate, angular braces secured to the under side of said plate adapting it to be placed on a table to present a slanted working face, guides secured to the upper surface of the plate for positioning a honey frame thereon including a central end stop adapted to bear against one end of the frame, a cam lever pivoted to the plate, and adapted upon operation to press against the opposite end of the frame, and a. stop on the plate against which the cam lever is adapted to strike to stop its movement and definitely limit its pressure against the frame.

LOUIS E. STARR. 

